Full Ground Autonomy Integrated into Army SMET Vehicle for Uncrewed Breaching

Overland AI has successfully demonstrated its ground autonomy technology at the U.S. Army’s innovation exercise, Project Convergence Capstone 5 (PC-C5).

Working alongside the Sandhills Project and the 20th Engineer Brigade of the XVIII Airborne Corps, Overland AI showcased autonomous breaching capabilities using a ground vehicle integrated with aerial payloads.

Under the direction of the Sandhills Project, Overland AI adapted General Dynamics Land Systems’ Small Multipurpose Equipment Transport (SMET) vehicle by integrating its full autonomy suite—comprising the OverDrive software stack, SPARK hardware infrastructure, and OverWatch tactical interface. Originally operated via tethered remote control, the SMET was upgraded to conduct fully autonomous operations in complex, contested environments.

As part of the demonstration, Soldiers from the 27th Engineer Battalion, 20th Engineer Brigade received hands-on training on the autonomous system. Throughout PC-C5, they developed the ability to independently operate, troubleshoot, and maintain the upgraded platform, ultimately conducting complete breaching missions without direct Overland AI oversight.

Byron Boots, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Overland AI, said, “Soldiers independently and successfully operated our ground autonomy for two consecutive weeks during Project Convergence Capstone 5. Breaching exercises continue to demonstrate the maturity of our capability and the tactical benefit of removing humans from some of the most dangerous missions.”

The operational scenario featured two key payload integrations:

• A trailer equipped with a mine-clearing UAS for clearing safe lanes.
• A Stratin Engineering-developed drone launcher mounted directly to the SMET, capable of deploying small, expendable drones for distributed operations.

These capabilities directly supported the Sandhills Project’s objective of overcoming complex obstacles—such as minefields, wire entanglements, and anti-vehicle ditches—while enabling wider operational reach during breach maneuvers. Following the exercise, the 20th Engineer Brigade retained the autonomous SMET platform for ongoing experimentation, with Overland AI providing field support services and software licensing under contract.

Overland AI’s deployment team at PC-C5 included specialists across autonomy software development, hardware integration, tactical field operations, and program management. Their efforts align with the broader goals of Project Convergence, which focuses on advancing multi-domain operations in support of future engagements in theaters such as INDOPACOM.

Building on its momentum, Overland AI continues to push the boundaries of autonomous ground systems for defense applications. The company is also executing an $18.6 million contract with the U.S. Army and Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) to deliver next-generation autonomy software for the Robotic Combat Vehicle (RCV) program.